Chapter 5-Girlfriend?
Furuya Rei or we can say Bourbon or the person from the Poirot Café Amuro Tooru, has this mysterious aura. Even Conan/Shinichi sometimes gets confused. But he trusts Furuya Rei. And most probably that's the reason he wants Rei to protect Haibara/Shiho.
Conan is now sitting in the Poirot Café talking with Amuro. Fortunately, Azusa-san was on a holiday and the café had opened just a few minutes ago, so both of them were alone.
"So, you want me to protect her, really?" Amuro asked Conan for the 5th time now.
"I have already said it for a few times now, Amuro-san!" Conan sighed.
"Yeah! But she is not a 7-year-old kid anymore, neither are you. You are always with her so why can't you do that?" he asked cleaning the utensils.
"I know we both are now grown up. As Shinichi and Shiho as well as Conan and Ai. But there are some things that even I can't do and protecting Haibara is one of them. Not only Haibara but also Ran. I don't know how can I protect her." He said trying to explain him.
"But why did you ask me? Why not that Subaru guy?" Amuro smirked as he kept on questioning him.
"Amuro-san, you know about Subaru-san, right?" Conan asked understanding his smirk.
"Well, do you think you can hide everything from me, great detective-san?" Amuro winked.
"Just tell me will you protect Haibara or not?" Conan asked him again and let out a sigh.
"Okay, fine I will do it! Do I have to be with her always?" he agreed.
"It's up to you, how you are going to protect her is totally your own problem." Now it was Conan who smirked.
"You brat! I thought you have made any plan!" Amuro let out a sigh.
"Thanks, Amuro-san! I owe you one! I need to go now. See you later!" Conan got up from the chair and left the café leaving a slightly irritated Amuro behind.
Amuro decided to focus on the work at hand rather than focusing on something that was difficult for now.
Eventually, he stopped thinking about it as the customers came into the café.
"Amuro-san, Azusa-san! Konnichiwa (Hello)!" greeted a cheerful but now adult Suzuki Sonoka as she entered with her friends, Mouri Ran and Sera Masumi.
"It's been a while!" Amuro smiled cheerfully.
"It's really been a while!" Sera smiled back as they stood in front of Amuro and Azusa.
"Sorry for not being able to come for your marriage ceremony Azusa-san!" Sonoko apologized.
"It's okay! You have a lot of work! Besides, Ran-chan had told me you had to go on a sudden business trip." Azusa, who was now married said to Sonoko.
"Ran showed me your photos, your couple looked very perfect!" she praised her. "Here's is a gift for you!" Sonoko said giving Azusa-san a bag.
"Thank you very much Sonoko-chan!" she gladly accepted the gift.
"When are you getting married Amuro-san?" Sonoko asked Amuro who was busy making something.
"Me?" he looked at the trio with a question mark on his face. "I don't think I will ever marry!" he sheepishly laughed.
"Is it okay? Don't you have someone you love?" Ran asked him.
"Someone I love?" he smirked and then chuckled. "I don't!"
"Ignore him! He isn't serious about these things." Azusa asked them to ignore him.
"Anyways, I am here to invite you two to my birthday party. Both of you definitely have to come and Azusa-san, please bring your husband, I want to meet him!" Sonoko gave them the invitation card for her party.
"Thank you, Sonoko-san! I will try to come!" Amuro said accepting the card.
"I will come Sonoko-chan! I will also ask my husband to come if he doesn't have any work." Azusa accepted the invitation too.
"Okay, so we will have the usual Amuro-san's handmade sandwiches for all three of us!" Sera said.
"It's been a while since I ate it!" Sonoko said remembering the nostalgic flavor.
"Have a seat!" Azusa said returning to the kitchen to help Amuro.
The three of them had met after a long time. Ran was working with her mother in her Law Agency after completing her higher education in law. Sonoko was working in the Suzuki's Hotel Management Company and Sera had just started working at Tokyo MPD Department of Theft. All of them were busy with their own work so they rarely found time to hang out together.
"Amuro-san still looks so handsome and young. I wonder when he will marry. He will turn 36 this year!" Ran said looking in Amuro's direction. "Do he really don't have anyone he likes?" she wondered.
"I don't know! Maybe he does have but he doesn't want to reveal yet!" Sera talked about a possibility.
"Leave about him Ran. Tell us about you. Your mother said that she wants you to marry next year, right?" Sonoko asked her about her marriage.
"Yeah, she keeps on saying stuff that she wants to see my bridal look before she dies. She really keeps on irritating me with this stuff." Ran sighed as she told her.
"What about Kudo?" Sera asked her making her expressions changing to sad ones.
Ran herself doesn't know that answer. What about him? What about them? It's been 7 years but she doesn't know any answers to those questions. She only knows that Shinichi has been fighting with something dangerous for the last 7 years. And she knows that he didn't want her to get involve and that's probably the reason he never told her about him being Conan.
Both of them understood what Ran was going through.
"By the way Sonoko, what do you want as your birthday gift?" Sera asked her trying to change the topic.
"I like surprises Sera." Sonoko chuckled. "I'll be happy with anything you gift me." she smiled.
Amuro served them their favorite Amuro's handmade sandwiches and the 3 of them enjoyed their time together.
After 3 days-:
It was the day of Sonoko's birthday party. Ran was ready waiting for Conan to come. She was wearing a long blue one-piece with a floral design.
"Sorry for making you wait, Nee-chan!" Conan came apologizing to her for making her wait.
"It's okay! You're looking handsome Conan-kun!" Ran smiled which made him blush a little.
Conan was wearing a navy-blue casual suit.
"Arigatou!" he replied shyly.
"We are leaving now Dad! Don't drink too much!" Ran told her dad before reaching out to the door. Both of them left the detective agency and went downstairs where they met Amuro who had just locked the café.
"Amuro-san!" Ran called him.
"Oh, Ran-san and Conan-kun! It's nice to meet you here!" he turned towards them. "Ran-san, you sure look beautiful today!" he complimented Ran who blushed a little.
"Amuro-san is looking great in the suit!" Ran gave him a compliment.
"Thank you! I wore this suit because it is a party from the Suzuki family, so I thought of wearing something more formal with a bit of fancy feeling!" he smiled.
Conan just rolled his eyes.
The detective boys arrived in a few seconds. Haibara's expressions suddenly changed when she saw Amuro. In all these years, she had met him a lot of times, but still, she felt different every time she met him. There was something about him she didn't understand. Even though Conan had told her to trust Amuro, she could not. She always got that Black Organization vibes from him which made her terrified. Of course, Conan still hasn't told her about Amuro's true identity.
Amuro briefly looked at Haibara. And he started thinking about how she has changed. She didn't look like Akemi but she looked like her mother. And as years passed, he could tell that Haibara is Miyano Shiho. She has the same mature look on her face and she still kind of stays away from him. How he was supposed to protect her?
"Shall we go Amuro-niisan?" Conan asked him breaking his train of thoughts.
Amuro just nodded and got his car. They drove off where the party was held.
At the party-:
The party venue was amazing, as expected of the Suzuki household. Amuro and others went inside. They met Sonoko and wished her to give the gifts they bought for her. Ran, Sonoko, and Sera were talking with Kyougoku and the detective boys were wandering here and there with Haibara who just wanted to be away from Amuro. Conan and Amuro were standing away from people.
"Conan-kun, why did you choose me to protect that girl? I am the person close to the organization in many ways, even if I am an undercover officer, don't you think it's dangerous for her?" Amuro asked him.
"Amuro-san, I think it's time she needs to know everything! About you and your relation to the Miyano family." Conan looked at him with a serious face.
Amuro was surprised. He remembered that when last time he had a confrontation with Miyano Shiho, he had told her about his relationship with her family, not briefly but he clearly had told her.
"Wait, she knows about me, right?" he asked Conan confused.
"No, she doesn't!" Conan calmly replied. "The person you talked with in the Bell Train Express was not Miyano Shiho, it was Kaitou Kid. I had asked him to disguise as Shiho. So, didn't know anything." Conan told him the truth of the incident.
"As expected from the Great Detective-kun!" Amuro smirked.
"It was important to do that to protect Shiho from Vermouth at that time." He looked down.
"Aren't you perfect for protecting her then?" the café Poirot worker raised the question again.
"I-" Conan hesitated. "I don't think so." He was still looking at the ground.
Amuro just looked at him still wondering about Conan's weird request.
"I can't wait now. I want to end this soon!" Conan said. "It's been years and still we have been living the same life. Don't you think so Amuro-san? Don't you want to freely work as a PSB officer and leave your life as Bourbon behind? Don't you want to live your life as Furuya Rei?" Conan looked at Amuro fiercely.
"I, I also want to end this soon Conan-kun! And for that, I will help you with anything you want." He smiled looking at Conan.
Conan smiled back with a determined face. "We have to protect a lot of people Amuro-san, people dear to us!" he said looking far at Ran who was laughing at something Sonoko was saying.
"Right!" Amuro replied with a determined smile as well.
For the time being, they decided to enjoy the party. Ayumi suddenly came running towards Conan.
"Conan-kun!" she stopped in front of Conan and Amuro.
"What's wrong Ayumi-chan?" Amuro asked seeing her panic.
"Ai-chan!" she stopped to breathe, "Suddenly, she collapsed and her whole body is aching!" she informed both of them.
Conan and Amuro looked at her with panic and shock. There was this chance of her becoming Shiho.
"Where is she now?" Conan asked with concern and panic in his voice.
"She ran away towards a room at the end of the hallway!" she told them.
"You wait here Ayumi-chan! We will see her!" Conan told her and he and Amuro ran to see her.
They reached the end of the hallway where there was an old room that was not used anymore.
"Haibara! Are you there?" Conan asked her from the outside.
"Edo-ga-wa-kun!" she called out his name in pain from the other side of the room.
"Did you eat or drink anything?" he asked her.
"N-o!" she replied.
"Okay! We will talk about this later. First, we need some clothes and get you out of this place." Conan told her.
"I will go buy some clothes," Amuro told Conan. "I have a plan!"
"Okay, Amuro-san!"
What was this guy doing here? Shiho thought. She always gets those Black Organization vibes from him. It's not like she hates him but it's hard for her to trust him.
"What's your size Haibara-san?" he asked directly.
What the hell!? She thought. How could someone ask such questions at such time?
"I-I don't know!" she replied, a bit angrily to which he panicked.
"Amuro-san, I think Ran's size will fit her. Buy anything with Ran's size in mind." Conan told him.
"Okay!" he said and ran to buy some clothes.
"Haibara, now listen. As soon as Amuro-san will come, I will go away. He will tell you, his plan. So, do according to it." Conan told her. He knew that she won't listen to Amuro-san.
"Why?" she asked, still in pain.
"I will tell you everything later. But for now, please trust Amuro-san!" he tried to explain to her.
She didn't reply. But for now, she had no choice. More than that, she needs to think about what was happening to her. she hadn't eaten or drank anything nor she had taken the temporary antidote of Apotoxin4869. Why was this happening? The pain and feeling, everything is the same when she shrunk or when she had become Shiho again.
Was the effect of the drug wearing off? It was one of the highest possibilities for now. She needs to research this. If the effect is wearing off then why haven't Kudo felt anything yet? Does the effect differ on males and females? Does the age factor also matter? Her mind was full of questions and her body was fully in pain.
Another 25 minutes passed when Amuro reached in front of the room.
"Sorry it took a while!" he said catching his breath.
"Did you have to go far?" Conan asked him.
"No, luckily there was a good mall nearby so I could buy a lot of good things." He told him.
Haibara, who was now back as Miyano Shiho just rolled her eyes.
"By the way, don't just stand there talking with Edogawa-kun, give me the bag of clothes quickly." She said which a rough voice making Amuro and Conan apologize for their talk.
She really is the same as Shiho and as Haibara too. She slowly opened the door making sure that none of her body parts is revealed as she hid behind the door. There was enough gap in the door through which a bag could pass. Amuro passed the bag in her hand, in process brushing his hand on her. Her skin was soft but hot and sweaty. Her hands were still shaky. Maybe because of the transformation. As their hands brushed off each other's, Amuro felt a spark. Maybe she felt the same because she hurriedly pulled the bag and shut the door.
There were a lot of things in the bag, a dress, a box of shoes, a few make-up accessories, a hat and other basic things like tissues. He sure did think carefully about what to buy. Much of amusement to Shiho, his sense of clothes and shoes was good, she was worried about it the most. In sense of fashion and clothes, Amuro would never lose as he was a lover of fashion himself. Both of them were quiet wondering how and what to say. It was not like they hadn't talked to each other before. It's maybe because she was not Haibara Ai now but Miyano Shiho.
Shiho started to get change. Amuro just leaned on the door and closed his eyes thinking about his plan.
"I really appreciate your choice." She said loudly enough to let him hear through the closed door.
He opened his eyes taken aback by her sudden praise. "Well, it's something I can never lose to." He replied in a sarcastic manner.
She ignored his comment. "What's the plan? Edogawa-kun told me that you have something on your mind." She asked him now putting on some foundation on her face.
"I did have a plan but I wonder if you are willing to do according to it." He told her folding his hands.
"I have no choice to go according to your plan so just tell me, I will do whatever you say." She replied.
He chuckled.
"What?" she asked roughly.
"Nothing, you are being consideringly honest with me. I didn't expect it." He told her.
"It's a matter of my life right now. More than that, I really want to go back to Hakase's house and study about the medicine's effect." She told him putting on her shoes finally getting completely ready.
"Okay!" he replied. "My plan is to have you pretend as my girlfriend and-"
"What?" she cut him off.
"Just listen to me! I won't do anything ruthless with you!" he assured her.
Unbelievingly, his words had some kind of assurance.
"Fine!" she leaned on the door from inside trying to listen to him.
"If we directly get you out of here, there is a chance someone we know might see us. That's the reason I bought those fancy casual clothes for you. I will introduce you to Sonoko-san as my girlfriend who was in America as a scientist. She won't see your face because of the hat you will be wearing. Your name will be Hoshino Mia-" she cut him off again.
"What's with this name Hoshino Mia!? Sounds lame! And I won't wear that hat!" she complained. She complained about the hat too because she thought it will make her stand out.
"You do complain a lot Hell Angel's daughter! The hat is important so that you could hide your face properly." he sighed then smirked emphasizing Hell Angel's daughter. "And about your name, it was something I came up with in reference to your actual name. so, stick along with it for a while till we get to know what is happening." He could hear her sigh. "For now, we need to take you out of here a soon as possible, you must be tired."
She was a little bit surprised with his small act of kindness and consideration but confused over why he called her Hell Angel's Daughter.
"But we can't go to Hakase's house." He told her.
"Why?" she asked. She had told him how important it was to research the medicine for now.
"Everyone will be suspicious. Especially the detective boys. I can't possibly let my girlfriend stay at someone else's home." He was just stating facts but it was irritating her. "I will have Conan-kun get all your research materials brought to the place where we will be living."
Why the hell he decided to live with her? She now wanted to run away from that man but in this condition, it is dangerous and Kudo has told her to follow his plan leaving her with no choices.
"Fine! Shall we go?" she asked him agreeing to his plan.
"If you are ready, my lady!" he replied with a tone of sarcasm.
She sighed once again before reaching out to the handle of the door. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Amuro was now leaning on the wall in front of the door looking at her. He really felt like he was looking at a different person. It made him sure that she looks more like her mother. She was really a beauty. He had never seen her as Miyano Shiho before. Now, seeing her like this can make anyone fall in love with her at the first sight.
Throwing away those thoughts, he came forward. "Shall we go Princess?" he asked holding out his hand in front of her as a gentleman does.
"Stop calling me Princess and stop such things, it doesn't suit you!" she replied coldly turning away.
He smiled and they started walking towards the party hall. Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko were now with Conan and Ran. Ayumi had told Ran about Haibara's health.
"She is okay now. I have left her with Subaru-san." Amuro said making an entry with Shiho, now Miya following him behind.
"Thank you so much Amuro-san!" Ran thanked him.
"It's okay! I was on my way to pick my girlfriend." He told them.
"G-girlfriend?" all of them asked in unison, even Conan because he was not aware of Amuro's plan.
"Haha, I made you surprise!" Amuro chuckled. Shiho/Mia was still hiding behind Amuro.
"Sugoi!" the detective boys yelled.
"You never told you had one Amuro-san!" Conan asked him trying to understand the situation.
"Ah, because she was in America for 2 years," Amuro told him as he winked trying to let Conan know it was his plan.
"I see! Nice to meet you, Ms.-?" Conan said understand what Amuro wanted to tell him.
"Mia. Hoshino Mia." Amuro introduced her as he pulled her beside him slowly holding her hand.
He could feel how her temperature was still hot and her hands were still sweaty. He needs to get her out of here soon.
"Nice to meet you Hoshino-san, I'm Edogawa Conan!" Conan greeted her.
"Ni-nice to meet you!" she greeted back in a silent tone.
"Mia doesn't sound like a Japanese name though," Conan said thinking who was the one who thought of the name.
"Mia is half Japanese; her mother is American so that explains her name," Amuro told them.
"Nice to meet you Hoshino-san! I am Mouri Ran." Ran greeted her.
Shiho/Mia greeted her bowing slightly.
"How and when did you meet?" Ayumi asked excited to know more details.
Amuro was not ready for this question. He wasn't ready for this. Shiho clearly saw his expressions which he hid the next second.
"Ah, about that-" he was trying to say something but suddenly he felt a weight on his shoulder. His gaze shifted on Mia who was leaning on his shoulder with her eyes closed. He panicked and quickly held her by her waist with both of his hands.
"Mia?" Amuro called out her name.
She collapsed due to fever and fatigue. She was worn out and exhausted because of the changes in her body. Amuro somehow managed to keep her standing as she still wasn't completely unconscious.
"I'm sorry but I need to take her home. She just came back yesterday from America so she is tired." He told them. "Please tell Sonoko-san that I had to leave and I apologize for leaving without telling her."
"It's okay Amuro-san! She will understand. Please take care of Hoshino-san. If you need anything, let us know." Ran assured him.
"Thank you, Ran-san!" he thanked her for her consideration.
"Conan-kun, can you carry her bag till my car?" Amuro asked him so that he could talk to him properly.
"Hai!" he said as he picked up the bag which had fallen from Mia/Shiho's hand.
Amuro carried her in his arms in bride style and he and Conan walked out of the party hall towards the parking area. They reached his car and Conan opened it for him. He slowly put Shiho in the backside of the car so she could properly lay down. Conan put the car in the seat next to the driver's seat.
"Conan-kun, I will send you an address later. Maybe in the evening or tomorrow, send all of Hai-Miyano-san's Apotoxin related documents at that address." Amuro told him.
"Okay! Amuro-san, are you okay with this?" he asked Amuro.
"Wasn't it you who trusted me with her? I'm fine! I will properly protect her." he smiled at Conan before turning towards the car.
"Thank you, Amuro-san!" Conan smiled and started walking back to the party hall.
It's been years since he got involved in the Black Organization. At first, he was all alone with Hakase. Then, he met Haibara one day. Since that day, both of them had been together, in everything. He can share anything with her. He had received a lot of advice and help from her. She had done a lot for him. She is very important to him. He was lucky to have her. he wondered if she considers him as her friend as much he does. He hopes that she may get to live her life happily.
Amuro drove the car out of the parking lot.
"So, where are we going?" Shiho's sudden question surprised him.
"Are you okay?" he asked her with concern.
"Yeah, I had to pretend this to stop you from answering the question." She said as she sat properly in the backseat.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because you were confused on how to answer that one." She told him taking out her hat.
"I'm surprised you noticed."
"Where are we going?" she asked him the previous question again ignoring his last comment.
"About that, I have made some arrangements." He told her looking at her through the mirror in front of him.
She was surprised about how fast his actions were.
Who is he actually?